A Hornets Teammate Explains Why LaMelo Ball’s Game Reminds Him of Luka Dončić

LaMelo Ball is one of the most gifted players in the NBA, although there's a significant portion of folks either in the industry or who watch the game that don't really care for his flash and the risk that's involved in his style of play.

By now, you're probably also well aware of how the national media likes to paint this negative picture of him and how he doesn't take the game seriously and lacks the desire to win, which is bogus.

Ball has always cared about winning. He just hasn't had the supporting cast or the necessary health for it to show. Now, he does. He's played in nearly 30 consecutive games, which is the longest stretch of games since his rookie campaign, and wouldn't you know? The Hornets are one of the hottest teams in basketball.

One of his teammates, Josh Green, recently appeared on Run Your Race and was asked how special LaMelo is. His response is a little bit of an eyebrow raiser.

🎙️ Josh Green on LaMelo Ball: "Some of the stuff he does is similar to Luka (Doncic)—it's a different type of feel for the game."

"His best skill is his confidence. It's truly a skill to have that level of confidence to be able to do what you do on the court. It's impressive."… pic.twitter.com/YTsRZimoDD
— r/CharlotteHornets (@HornetsReddit) January 28, 2026

"Some of the stuff he does is similar to Luka (Dončić) and whatnot. It’s just a different type of feel for the game. His best skill is his confidence. It's truly a skill to have that level of confidence to be able to do what you do on the court. It's impressive. "Honestly, he's just a great person to be around. He's always happy. He goes up and says, 'What's up?' and 'How are you?' to everybody. It was one of the first things I noticed, like, 'Wow, that's impressive.' He's a great guy, obviously an amazing basketball player, and a talent that doesn't come around often."

In some ways, I get it. LaMelo and Luka both have a special feel for the game and can do some incredible things with the ball in their hands that opposing teams don't see coming. The biggest difference, of course, is their movement. Ball likes to push the tempo and use his speed to beat defenders, while Luka takes the methodical approach, leaning on his skill and smarts to beat you. Still, anytime a player is compared to one of the best active players in the game, it speaks volumes to the type of talent said player has. And Josh would know, he's played with both of them.

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